Details About Portland (OR)

City (1990 pop. 437,319; met. area 1,239,842), NW Oreg., on the Willamette R.; inc. 1851. Founded in 1845, it grew rapidly as a supply point for western gold fields. The largest city in Oregon and one of the busiest ports on the West Coast, it manufactures paper and wood products, electronic instruments, and machinery. The city grew rapidly after 1850, serving as a supply point for the California and Alaska gold fields. Its varied architecture includes a neoclassical city hall and the postmodernist Portland Building designed by Michael Graves. The Univ. of Portland, Reed College, and museums of art, science, and advertising are among the many institutions in the area. The region is noted for its dramatic scenery; Mt. Hood is nearby. Of recent, the areas wine has become world-reknown, especially the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.